The National Parkinson Foundation's Medical Director Shares the 10 Secrets to a Happier Life with Parkinson's Disease

Release date: 4/17/2013

New Parkinson's Treatment Book Translated into 20+ Languages

MIAMI, April 17, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The National Parkinson Foundation's (NPF) medical director, Michael S. Okun, M.D., has released a new book titled, "Parkinson's Treatment: 10 Secrets to a Happier Life." Published this month, in conjunction with Parkinson's Awareness Month, the book is now available in more than twenty languages to help people all over the world live their best life with Parkinson's disease.

"Through my interactions with thousands of Parkinson's patients, I have come to realize you do not have to be defined by the disease," said Okun, NPF medical director and co-director of UF Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration, an NPF Center of Excellence. "The purpose of this book is to provide a roadmap to health, hope and happiness for a full and meaningful life with Parkinson's."

Based on Okun's experience as a movement disorders specialist, the book addresses the issues surrounding Parkinson's disease and the secrets that have helped people live well and live longer. The comprehensive book includes chapters on issues such as medication timing, deep brain stimulation surgery, depression, sleep and exercise.

"Dr. Okun's book is a must-read for anyone who has recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's or is a caregiver of someone with the disease," said Joyce Oberdorf, NPF's president and CEO. "People with Parkinson's can live decades with the disease; therefore, it is crucial that they understand that lifestyle adjustments, such as incorporating more exercise into their day, can improve their quality of life. This book provides people with the healthy living tools they need for their Parkinson's toolbox."

Okun is a world-renowned authority on Parkinson's disease and deep brain stimulation surgery. He has served as NPF's medical director since 2006 and answers NPF's "Ask the Doctor" free online forum and writes a monthly blog, "What's Hot in Parkinson's Disease?". Okun is also the author of two other books, "Ask the Doctor about Parkinson's Disease" and "Lessons from the Bedside."

In order to reach people worldwide, Okun has worked with international colleagues to translate the book into more than twenty languages, including: Arabic, Spanish, German, French, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Portuguese, and more.

About Parkinson's Disease (PD)Affecting an estimated one million Americans and four to six million worldwide, Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's and is the 14th leading cause of death in the United States. There is no cure for PD and 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year in the United States alone.

About the National Parkinson Foundation (NPF)Founded in 1957, the National Parkinson Foundation's mission it to improve the quality of care for people with Parkinson's disease through research, education and outreach. NPF has funded more than $172 million in research and support services to improve the lives of people with Parkinson's.

For more information about NPF, visit www.parkinson.org, or call the NPF Helpline at 1-800-4PD-INFO (473-4636).